Thursday, July 31, 2008

I Think I Might be Dead

Well, I've been working 12-14 hour days since last Thursday and I'm not certain if I'm dead or alive. The muscles in the back of my body from my lower back to my feet not only hurt to use them, but they hurt to touch. This is the first time since last Thursday that I've had time to just sit here. At this moment, I'm watching furniture installers unload a tractor trailer full of stuff. I'm sure I won't be sitting long but it's a nice change for the usual 12 hours of constant running I've been doing.

I guess all this to say that I haven't dropped off the face of the earth. I'm just locked in a new office building 12-14 hours per day. Believe it or not, we're having fun and watchign the cute movers work isn't such a bad deal either. Yesterday I got to go for a drive in big tractor trailor truck. It was my first time being in one. Tuesday I won my very first filing cabinet race. No new "firsts" for me on Monday. I guess I'll soon see what today holds for me. My short break has ended because someone found me and my superpowers are needed. I'm off to move more boxes.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Bossy Pig

Sigh, I'm afraid my child is a bit stunted in some areas of her learning. Last night, she called called me a bossy pig. You maybe remember THIS but I swear it is out of character for her. She clearly does not understand. She kept apologizing for calling me bossy and saying "But I didn't call you the other kind of pig, you know snotty. I promise I'll never call you that kind of pig again." I tried to explain that to her that calling someone any kind of pig is not nice but she does not get it and I'm not sure I want to push it. I mean she is right in the sense that I am bossy. But I am not a pig....even if I do snort when I laugh really hard.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

No Buts About It

Lately, it seems there is always one word that totally describes my day from a work standpoint and a personal standpoint. Often I'll just be sitting there and it'll come to me. One day it was "unwillingness" that term just seemed to fit everything about that day. Earlier this week it was "if" what if, I'll do this if, we'll do this if...blah, blah, blah IF! It's only 8:34 am and I already know today is "but". It started with me thinking I'll stay at my desk all day today. It wasn't in the office 5 minutes and.....BUT reared it's ugly head.

We're moving to our new office building soon and there is so much to do. I knew this would be a big project but I wasn't expecting to be this involved. It's been a great opportunity to learn about things I would never touch otherwise. However, it has also made it glaringly obvious to me that this line of work is not for me. I'm a client oriented kind of girl.

As part of this project, I have to manipulate a spread sheet that is going involved over 6300 entries...twice. I got the info yesterday and I put off starting it. It is a critical item and I must do it today. My plan was to sit at my desk all day and hammer it out BUT I had to go to something else within 5 minutes of my arrival. I should have started it when I got back from the other task BUT I needed to take a minute to simmer down for a few minutes first.

Now I'm done this post and geared up to start BUT I'm sure something else with come up. I can hardly wait for the BUT that comes up outside of work. It might go something like this "I wasn't going to park in your reserved parking space BUT..." My response might be "I wasn't going to kick your ass BUT...."

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

She's an Ecclectic Sort

This morning on the way to work, JJ was sitting in the backseat all decked out in her sunglasses. I told her she looked cool and she replied that she is a rockstar. Then she broke into Take me down to the paradise city, where the grass is green, and the girls are pretty. Oh won't you please take me home. Yeah, yeah.


Good ole Guns and Roses. Isn't that what all "I'm almost 5 you know" year olds are singing these days? She was hilarious. She was even doing that whiny Axl Rose voice and had the tune down perfectly. Axl Rose rises from the ashes one more time, reincarnated in the form of a blonde hair, green eyed, after-schooler.

My kid isn't all hard rock, you know. After her rendition of GNR, she effortlessly changed direction and sang a moving version of Tale as Old as Time from Beauty and the Beast. She followed up with Beach Baby and then finished with a self-composed song about sharing.

I believe a star has been born.

Friday, July 04, 2008

After-Schooler: Life at the Top of the Foodchain

Yesterday was JJ's first day back at daycare since last Friday. At our daycare, the kids change classes July 1 for the summer program. When we walked in yesterday, JJ went to her hook and basket and saw that her name was no longer there. She turned to Leonora, a staff member, and said "Where is my stuff?" Leonora said "Well, if I was an after-schooler, where would my stuff be?" JJ's face lit up like Christmas morning.

She is so excited that she is an after-schooler now. The after-schoolers are the big kids at daycare and she is stoked to be part of that club. Last night, JJ was diving into the pool and my dad told her that her dives were looking great. She responded "I am an after-schooler now, Grampie." From the way JJ tells it, it would seem that all good things are directly related to being an after-schooler.

I have no worries about JJ heading off to kindergarten in September. She is ready and very excited. Besides, she's an after-schooler now and apparently they have the world by the horns.

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Snotty Pig

JJ and I were driving home the other day and she was eating an ice cream sandwich. We were just a few houses away from home and she offered me a bite of her ice cream sandwich. I said no thank you but she insisted. She handed me a small piece and I popped it in my mouth. The next thing I hear is "You snotty pig! You ate the rest of my ice cream sandwich!" said in her best disgusted voice. Holy hell! The car comes to a screeching halt in the driveway, as I try not to laugh, and I turn around and say "Excuse me?!?" Good god, she repeated it. I almost fell over. You'd think the car coming to an abrupt halt and my head almost flying off my shoulders would have been an indication that she said something inappropriate. Apparently, she was to disgusted with me to notice.

I proceeded to tell her that what she said was very inappropriate, that she will never say it again, and that she needed to apologize to me. JJ had different ideas. She informed me that she would "prefer to sit in the car and chit chat." I had to turn away from her to maintain my composure because I was about to dissolve into giggles. Once I had a handle on myself, I told her she would apologize or go straight to her room for the remainder of the night.

JJ eventually saw the light and apologized. But she also took the time to inform me that eating the remainder of her ice cream sandwich was highly inappropriate on my part.

3 days later and I still laugh when I think of those 2 little words - snotty pig. You have to know my child to understand that calling people names and having an attitude like that is absolutely not normal for her.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

I Use the Term Lady Loosely

Dear Tim Horton's Worker Lady,

You're a bitch.

Princess

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Canada Day...I just want to go to sleep now

Today was our annual Family Canada Day party. In the past few years, some of my cousins and their families have not attended but everyone was back full force this year and it was really nice. We had a few honorary families join us too - Hi Wards, MacDonalds, & Davises. I think there were more people there this year than ever before. But even with all those people it was pretty easy going. We have a ton of kids in our family but there are all getting bit older now so we can all relax a bit.

JJ and my little cousin, Gage, get along so well. He is a year or two older and such a little gentleman. He is rough and tumble but he is so sensitive and caring. The water in the pool was higher to day and, much to JJ's protest, I made her wear water wings because there were so many kids. She likes to dive and her wings came off a few times. When those water wings came off, Gage was the first one there to get them for her. He dove off the inflatable dolphin to get her water wing even though he knew he would lose the toy to another kid. Once both of her wings came off and JJ started to struggle. I was just about to dive into the pool to help her and all of a sudden Gage came charging across the pool, grabbed her, and brought her to the side. To put this in perspective, he is older but he is only an inch or two taller. He is "just" tall enough so the water is not over his head. Getting to JJ to help her was not a small feat for him. He is so sweet.

I told JJ I would take her to the fireworks. They don't start until 10:40 and I'm soooo tired. It's going to be a struggle to stay awake to take her. We certainly won't be staying for the whole thing.